Defining Multimedia & New Media

Multimedia, previously, sounds like a bombastic word for me when I was in school. During that time, I was not pretty sure the meaning of multimedia; but I think its all about 'electronic-based' media.

During my Alpha (foundation) year in Multimedia University (MMU), my lecturer, Dr. Neo Tse Kian, taught us about the definition of multimedia. I remember when he said that seems we're from Multimedia University, which is situated in Jalan Multimedia, and being a Creative Multimedia student, we should be able to answer the meaning of multimedia.

Basicly, multimedia is a combination of 5 type of medias; which are text, image, audio, video, and animation; and may include with interactive features. These medias used as a communication tool to give information, digitally. That's why it is called multi + media.

As a multimedia designer, knowing how to produce graphics alone is not enough. We must know how to work with audio, video, animation, and interactivity parts. School students nowadays can produce their own multimedia product. For example, we can see some video uploaded on YouTube, where these young students shoot a video, add their own narration with text subtitles, few graphics and animations; to create their own story. Previously in my school, there was a room beside a library called "Bilik Audio & Visual". Now I think they should convert the name to "Bilik Multimedia" :p

For me, multimedia is a form of New Media. Before this, we must be very familiar with broadcasting media (ie: radio and television), advertising media, and print media (ie: posters and newspapers). These are considered as old media. Old media is not necessarily black and white. We see them everyday in our lives. And as we embrace a new ICT era, we were introduced with new media, where people are start shifting from old media like print and paper to an electronic-based media. Why? Simply because they can store data for a long period of time, easy to manage, edit, transferable, and can save a lot of time working with new media. In other words, it's convenient.

With multimedia elements, life is more exciting and colorful.

And all these, of course, using some kind of technology.

image credit : DoDynamic | PaleoFuture

Hello

Salam to all.

This is my first post in blogspot. (I'm more familiar using Wordpress for this kind of publication :p ..)

This blog is solely for the purpose of Principle of Multimedia class.